Brick and stone building façade materials are heavy and energy intensive to manufacture, increasing the costs for production, handling, and transportation. Additionally, they require expensive skilled artisans for installation. Conventional practice for most facade cladding systems requires labor and material intensive full masonry application. Alternate cladding systems comprise manufactured stone, stucco, and either cementitious or hard-coat, synthetic stucco also known as Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS), and concrete or clay brick cladding. Deficiencies in these systems include the development of mold and dry rot. Additionally, the above cladding systems are crack and failure prone, particularly, when mortar is mixed and/or applied improperly. These systems are also vulnerable to the elements, which prevents the installation during inclement conditions. The cladding systems could further be compromised by a sudden change in the weather during the installation, or within 48 hours after completing the installation, while the mortar is setting up to material strength specifications. The reality is that conventional mortar by its very nature is permeable, even mixed and applied properly under the right weather conditions, and is subject to predictable degradation from the elements.
A representative cladding system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,513, (Kuelker). This patent discloses a hanger that is cast into a concrete panel. The hangar allows mechanical attachment to a façade. A bead of caulking is applied to collapsible or crushable panel joints to complete the cladding system. However, this cladding system fails to provide the industry with sufficient functionality and durability for installation by unskilled labor. The hangars are designed to be cast-in-place on the back of the concrete panel at point of manufacture. The hangars are designed to have a number of protuberances that are highly prone to damage during transport, delivery, and installation. Even simple deformation of the hangars increases the possibility of failure after installation, and/or damage to the façade. The protuberances are cast into the panel in order to make panel ready for installation. Any customer modifications or damage to the hanger results in costly remanufacturing delays or structural failure of the façade. Hangars having this conformation prevent job site changes, increase expenses, and decrease the durability of the façade. The panels are designed to have collapsible, crushable, or breakable interfaces that expose the panels to water expansion or freeze expansion damage.
Consequently, there is a need in the industry for a modular facade cladding system that is modular, customizable, and durable.